Family planning in Ethiopia: the story behind the story

Sahlu Haile, David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Ethiopia has made impressive progress in family planning and reproductive health in the last 15 years. Contraceptive uptake has reached almost 40% from less than 10% in the early 2000's. Fertility has declined from 7 to 4 children per woman and there are signs that maternal and child mortality has gone down significantly. The story of the Ethiopian experience has been documented by many local and international professionals. And there is a quasi unanimity in attributing the success of this program to the commitment and leadership of the government. There is definitely some truth to this assertion. However, this paper will try to tell the other side of the story: the role of civil society and the donor community in bringing about the amazing change that took place in the country. The paper will demonstrate that without the active participation and input from these two groups, the program would not be where it is now.